Yesterday, on This American Life (TAL), one of my favorite shows on National Public Radio (NPR), I heard the story of Emily Bonderer Cruz, a.k.a. the "Real Housewife of Ciudad Juárez". Emily is an American who married an undocumented Mexican and who, after running out of legal recourses, left everything behind to pursue a life with her husband in Juárez. As punishment for her husband having entered the U.S. illegally, they will have to remain in Juárez for ten years before they are allowed to return to the U.S., together. The story is fascinating and heartwarming, until...you realize how incredibly warped Emily's perception of the country she now calls home still is, even after having lived there for several years.
I was shocked, for instance, when Emily began to describe the "privileges" she believes only she and a handful of others in Mexico enjoy: "Like, I love this neighborhood. It's like the perfect mixture of America and Mexico to me, because I am not so, like, hardcore, you know, pioneer, that I could really do real Mexico. I mean, I guess maybe I could, I just don't have like the balls or, I don't know, the ovaries to live on a ranch or not have running water or whatever. And there's other things that I, like, just like to have, like, you know, an oven, for instance, um, those are like privileges here, um, and I definitely have those things in my house and I really enjoy that..." Seriously? Does Emily really believe that having running water or an oven are privileges in Mexico in 2013? Do TAL and NPR feel that this is an accurate depiction of Mexico that it is worth spreading and perpetuating?
First, most people in Mexico do not live in a ranch. In fact, according to the World Bank, 78% of Mexicans live in urban communities (in the U.S., the percentage is 83%). Second, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 94.4% of Mexicans today have access to improved sources of water, while more than 90% have water that is "piped on premises". Finally, according to Mexico's National Survey of Household Income and Expenditures, 90% of households in Mexico have either a gas or an electric stove. So, no, the things Emily describes as privileges are hardly luxuries in Mexico...
I invite Emily, and the producers of TAL, to do more background research on the state of economic affairs in Mexico so that they may cease contributing to the backwards perception that Americans have of their Southern neighbor. Yes, poverty in Mexico is still widespread (around 45% of the population is considered "poor") and income inequality is also high, but the truth of the matter is that things in Mexico are rapidly changing for the better: Mexico's stable macroeconomic foundations and moderate growth in the past decade have reduced poverty, reduced inequality (the Gini coefficient in Mexico today is now almost the same as it is in the U.S, 48.3 vs. 45.0, respectively) and have increased access to basic services and finance for millions. And with the structural reforms we are now finally undertaking, our country is gearing up for what will hopefully become a new period of sustained growth.
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Maybe it isn't a big deal that this one woman has a distorted view of the economic realities in Mexico, but what I do consider a travesty is that she has a voice on NPR and that she is able to perpetuate in the minds of millions of Americans, Canadians, Brits and Australians who listen to this show a false view of who we, Mexicans, are and where we stand in relation to them. It certainly doesn't help Mexico and it doesn't help the U.S. either.
It is difficult for me to understand why the gulf between American's perception of Mexico and the reality we Mexicans experience is so wide. After thinking about this long and hard, though, the only thing I can conclude is that the gap between perception and reality is defined by our unwillingness to change our beliefs. I don't understand why Americans are so reluctant to give Mexico another chance; I don't understand why it is so difficult for them to desist from condemning Mexico to a perpetual state of violence and poverty, in spite of the evidence. The day we, Americans and Mexicans alike, accept that Mexico is changing and maturing and that this is not a threat to anyone, but rather a great opportunity for all of us, the world will begin to see the truth about one of the most magnificent countries on the planet. I really look forward to that day.
You too intense, man.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: Hahaha, that's only medium intensity...
DeleteThank-you for the great article. You are absolutely right and I am so glad you have put this information in print!
ReplyDelete@Debbie: No problem, Debbie :) Glad you like it!
DeleteHeard this story and felt the same way. I doubt that the production staff at TAL share this view of Mexico, and I think it's a challenge to give folks an unrestrained and authentic voice on the radio without feeling the need to correct everything inaccurate they say, but as the story stood it provoked a reaction in me too, so I think the balance was wrong on this one.
ReplyDelete@Matt: I think that's a really fair point, Matt. I certainly admire NPR and TAL and I usually rely on them for my information because they are, in my opinion, the best media outlet in the U.S. That's why I was disappointed by this story...as you say, the balance was off...Isn't that what Ira Glass is there for? Hehehe.
DeleteI also believe that NPR doesn't actually endorse this view of Mexico, but in my opinion, they do very little to dispel the skewed view of Mexico. Much less so, for instance, than the New York Times or the Economist have done in recent months...I also found this story particularly upsetting given that six months ago I emailed TAL to pitch a story about the positive changes that Mexico is currently experiencing and they flat out ignored it and have yet to put a positive story about Mexico on their show...
I think the media in the U.S. still has a lot of power in influencing Americans' perception of the world and I think they should take that role and that responsibility very seriously.
I listened to Emily's story on NPR and felt that much of what she said seemed accurate to me based on my experiences living in both Veracruz and Oaxaca.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I both worked full time and struggled to get by. We lived in better situations than his family because we had saved money in the US before we moved. His family in Veracruz and Oaxaca live without running water or stoves. You wash your clothes by hand and a washing machine is definitely a luxury.
I love Mexico, especially Oaxaca, I miss many aspects of living there like the culture, the food and the warmth of the people.
What I experienced does not represent all of Mexico but I can tell you that what I saw and lived showed me that life on some levels is much harder in Mexico. There is a huge divide between the people who have money and those who don't.
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think what you mention is true for many Mexicans, but it is not the reality for most. I don't ignore the fact that poverty exists, but the perception of poverty in Mexico, both internally and abroad, is supremely distorted; that misperception does more harm to the relationship between Mexico and the US and to internal politics in Mexico than it does any good. Oaxaca and Veracruz are among the poorest states in the country; Oaxaca is second only to Chiapas, so the conditions in those states, particularly in rural areas, do not reflect the experience of most Mexicans. That said, I do think that our greatest challenge in Mexico is to address poverty in those states and those areas far away from the large cities where living conditions could certainly improve.
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ReplyDeleteSurely you weren't really intending for me to answer your question but I stumbled upon your blog today so I'll respond.
DeleteYes, I really do believe that having running water and an oven are a privledge in Mexico. I believe they are a privledge in the US as well or any where for that matter. And yes, Mexico is indeed a developed country and most people have running water, however, many don't. Far more than the number who go without it in the US. The city is riddled with colonias without running water, some without electricity, especially along the outskirts.
Although the first half of that conversation was edited out of the TAL piece, I was actually referring to other women I know who have moved to the interior of Mexico and done it in true pioneer style on ranches. I was comparing their stories of day to day life and how different they are from my experiences. If border living wasn't an option we'd likely end up roughing it because niether of us have an education that would allow us to secure a decent job. Mexico is a wonderful country, but if we didn't live on the border, we most likely wouldn't be able to afford to live in those more developed areas with just a Mexican income. My husband's current salary doesn't even cover half of our rent payment for our humble, 2 bedroom home.
With that being said, I appreciate your perspective and agree with you on many points. However, I would encourage you to actually read my blog so that you can see that I am definitely not contributing to the backwards perception of Mexico.
*privilege
DeleteForgive me but unfortunately I am a horrible speller. And the more Spanish I speak, the worse my English gets. ;)
Hi Emily! First and foremost, I think it's awesome that you ended up seeing the post! It's incredible how the internet works for us nowadays. Secondly, I think it's also good to get your opinion, since, well you more than anyone can tell us how you feel truly. I think we can all agree that Mexico is a land of contrasts and that experiences here vary vastly! I think, all in all, your story is fascinating and also one that is becoming more and more common. I was actually born in Juárez and then moved to the States with my family and now that I'm all grown up, hehehe, I moved to Mexico City. Every day I meet more and more people like me.
ReplyDeleteThe important thing, I think, is to keep balance between the good and the bad (I tend to err on the side of the good 'cause I feel there's plenty of bad news on Mexico out there, hehehe), but I am still conscious of the issues in our country. I definitely think the TAL story could have used better editing and would have loved to hear your full story. I wonder if they read my post. I sent it to them...
I will definitely check out your blog. Can you send me the link? And hopefully next time I'm in Juárez we can chat in person! Hope all is well! ¡Un abrazo!
It's funny because I actually get quite a bit of slack about my blog focusing too much on the good. People hear Juarez and exile and they want me to be all doom and gloom with my head in my hands. My blog isn't about that at all. I really go out of my way to focus on the positive aspects of life here. Because if people want to hear all of the horrible things, they can pick up a copy of the PM. If they want to hear about the homicides, they can go read Judith Torrea's blog. I'm trying to tell the story of Juarez that no one gets to hear. And the story of the immigrant's wife that no one gets to hear. Unfortunately, after editing 2 weeks of audio recordings down to 20 some minutes for TAL, you don't really get the whole picture. Especially not about economics lol! Anyway, here is the link if you are interested,
Deletehttp://therealhousewifeofciudadjuarez.blogspot.com/
Take care.
Thanks, Emily!! I'm glad to hear we're on the same page! I think Mexico is in a great moment and we have to choose how we want to define our country. Also, I think the future of the U.S. and of Mexico are inseparable, so anything we can do to help Mexicans understand Americans and vice-versa is huge service to both our countries. We need to work together! :) ¡Saludos!
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